Is there a way to install lightweight Active Directory on Windows 7 for Development purposes without domain? I've downloaded the "AD LDS" for Windows 7 and installed it but it seems to require a actual domain server exist on the network. Isn't it possible to run a active directory on the domain called "localhost" ?

3 Answers
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If you're looking to develop against something that looks and smells like Active Directory, then AD LDS is no substitute - contrary to what you'd intuitively think from the name, it does not provide just a "slimmed down" AD.

Shane, can you explain why the other answers in this thread seem to conflict with your answer?
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djangofanDec 11 '12 at 22:05

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@djangofan I wouldn't say they do. You might be able to use AD LDS as a facsimile of some of the LDAP parts of AD, but its behavior still won't be the same in terms of handling of all LDAP properties... and there's a lot more to AD than just LDAP. Depending on the scope of your development, LDS might be appropriate for working against.. but in most cases beyond simple LDAP object manipulation, it won't be, and you don't want a situation where your code depends on behavior specific to LDS.
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Shane Madden♦Dec 12 '12 at 3:44

ADLDS is a LDAP server and if your requirements are to test code for reading/writing LDAP intended for AD, then you could test againt ADLDS. You might find the http://directoryprogramming.net/ site and accompanying book useful.

If your requirements are more than simply a LDAP server, then as per Shane's recommendation you'd need to implement a lab environment with full AD installation.

Yeah, I was having trouble because the LDS service doesn't give you any way of creating users. I think that is the case because it requires that you replicate/feed from a actual Domain Server. So, in other words, it only works if your on a domain or near one.
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djangofanDec 16 '11 at 20:53

You need to import the schema for creating objects using the objectclass of interest. The LDS Schema by default is very basic. MS-user.ldf is the file you need to import.
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maweerasDec 16 '11 at 22:11